The Arab Spring Uprising Essay Example for Free

The Arab Spring Uprising Essay While each country fights for individual basic rights, which are usually area specific, there are a few rights every country is protesting against including government corruption, economic decline, unemployment and abject poverty. Role of Technology Many have speculated on the role of technology and the use of social media in the uprisings of the ‘Arab Spring’, with some going so far as to conjecture the role of technology in the revolutions’ communication and collaboration is unprecedented. West, 2011) The mostly educated and unemployed youth of these countries were at the heart of many of these conflicts and actively used social media sites like Twitter and Facebook to coordinate with fellow protestors in a quick and efficient fashion. (Democratist, 2011) The use of these social networks gave the protestors the ability to share times amp; locations with large groups instantly and allowed them to present a much more organized front than was previously imagined possible. International news sites like Al-Jazeera and Wikileaks provided protestors with the ability to acquire much needed outside news from media not owned by the country’s government and gave protestors the ability to communicate with the world about their trials and triumphs. Internet usage was not always freely allowed by these countries and in the midst of their revolution, President Mubarak’s government cut off internet accessibility throughout most of Egypt for a period of time. Tunisia After what is believed to have been the catalyst for the uprising known as ‘Arab Spring’, Tunisia’s own uprising began in December, 2010 after merchant, Mohamed Bouazizi, caught himself on fire in the middle of Sidi Bouzid to protest police corruption in the country. Not long after that, thousands of civilians began to take to the streets calling for the resignation of then-President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and democratic reform. According to Tunisian government records, approximately 223 people were killed as a direct result of the protests. After 28 days of protests and international media attention, President Ben Ali abdicated his power, fled the country to Saudi Arabia, and his government was removed from power shortly afterward. Since the revolution, the county has had its share of continued protests, held its first semi-democratic elections in over 20 years and has put an interim government into power. Egypt Formed shortly after the Tunisian uprising, Egypt’s own upheaval began on January 25th, 2011 and lasted a full 18 days before wrenching the autocratic President Mubarak and his government from power. During these 18 days, Egypt saw a flood of protests take place around the country and most notably within Cairo’s Tahrir Square; these protests quickly took a turn for the violent with protestors frequently ramping up between Mubarak supporters and the oppositions. Though Mubarak at first refused to step down from the presidency, after international pressure and an escalation of violent protests, he announced on February 10th that he would step down and hand over his presidency to the vice president. In the last year however, protests have continued at the perceived sluggishness of the new governing forces to bring much needed economic and social reforms to the country. Yemen Initially started as a protest over changes to the constitution, corruption and prevalent unemployment, Yemen’s revolution brought with it the ousting of President Saleh. Embattled President Saleh long faced opposition from his inner cabinet from as early as 2009 over governmental corruption, as well as poor social and economic conditions in the country. Protests started on January 27, 2011 and raged for over a year before, after an attempt on his life in June, 2011, President Saleh fled the country and Vice-President al-Hadi took over the governing of Yemen. In February of 2012, Saleh stepped aside and allowed the newly elected President Abd al-Rab Mansur al-Hadi to maintain governance within the country. Amid the recent firings of the deposed President’s inner circle, Ali Abdullah Saleh denounced the revolutions taking place around the Arab world and suggested that peace may not be found easily in Yemen. (Associated Press, 2012) Libya What began as a protest over the conditions for civilian living and corruption, quickly gained steam and formed in a civil bloody war, pitting so-called rebels against those loyal to the current President Qaddafi. After more than 40 years of power, Qaddafi found himself at the helm of a battle for his very Presidency and the nation’s government. Citizens of Libya gained hope from the outcome of Tunisian revolution and six months after the first protests, Colonel Qaddafi was killed by rebel forces; the country was declared liberated from his reign not long after. The revolution in Libya was supported in part by a United States backed coalition which provided air support to the Libyan rebel forces and helped bring an end to the bloodshed and oppression. (The New York Times, 2012) Libya’s fight for independence and liberty, one of the bloodiest in recent memories, has not ended in peace for the Libyan people yet. In 2012, a solid and unifying government has yet to gain control and the country has been broken up into semi-autonomous states with militias governing individual areas. Similar Timing, Different Solutions While there are some similar themes which flow through each revolution, including the timing and as the prevalence of educated, yet unemployed youth protestors, the systems of governments being protested against and the solutions for change vary widely from country to country, as author Lisa Anderson reminds readers in Demystifying the Arab Spring (2011). Since Tunisia’s government, before the revolution, was made up, in large part, by relatives to ousted-President Ben Ali, the country has seen continued unrest as demands for a total change in regime continue and the new government will face virtually starting from scratch in terms of government officials. Egypt, while also carrying a tradition of familial government, in contrast to Tunisia has a powerful military which aided in the circumvention of power from Hosni Mubarak. In direct contrast to Tunisia and Egypt’s relatively smooth transitions from power, Libya became a country at the heart of a civil war with a leader who was determined not to lose power. After Qaddafi’s death, the country’s rebel led coalition has had to begin the process of rebuilding a country torn apart by a bloody war. In the past two year, the world has seen a string of uprisings, dubbed the ‘Arab Spring’, which are really unrelated as a whole and yet contingent upon one another. Without the success of Tunisia’s revolution would Libya, Egypt, or Yemen’s citizens risen up? Personally, I think so. But I also believe the revolutions have fueled one another and the successes and failures of some are felt by the many. While the ‘Arab Spring’ carries on, with countries like Bahrain and Syria still fighting for their freedom and for governmental change, it is easy to see there is a long road of recovery ahead for this region of the world. References Anderson, L. (2011, June).

Population Growth in Perspective Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Pap

Population Growth in Perspective Introduction To anyone even remotely acquainted with the situation, the ever-expanding world population can easily be a cause of grave concern. Indeed, the simple realization that the total world population will most likely be doubling within the next century may seem to imply catastrophe. Considering the strain our current huge population puts on the world, is it not natural to presume that two times our number will spell disaster? While this is the view held by many prominent voices, there also is a less-noticed group of people who contend that the resiliency of the earth and the ingenuity of its people will keep the planet a decent place to live. In this paper, I attempt to critically examine various theories on the size of future population growth and consider what some of the possible results of this growth might be. In the end, I conclude that although there are significant development issues facing the world as a result of the expanding population, the world is probably not headed for ruin. Current Population Awareness The dramatic increases in world population over the last decades have not gone unnoticed. The media frequently covers issues related to population growth and control, making most people aware of at least some of the discussions surrounding world population. Many societal problems such as environmental destruction, the spread of virulent disease, and starvation are forecast as a result of the planet's increasing population. In fact, overpopulation is often perceived as the number one threat to the world because of its wide ranging effects. Here at Goshen, overpopulation is a popular topic for Senior Seminar papers. Virtually every year, at least one person i... ...93 Bailey, Ronald. Ed. The True State of the Planet. Free Press, New York. 1995 Brown, Lester and Kane, Hal. Full House. W.W. Norton and Company, New York. 1994 Cassen, Robert. Population and Development: Old Debates, New Conclusions. Transaction Publishers, New Brunswick. 1994 Cohen, Joel. How Many People Can the Earth Support?. W.W. Norton and Company, New York. 1995 Ehrlich, Paul. The Population Bomb. Ballantine Books, New York. 1968 Holland, 1993, as quoted in How Many People Can the Earth Support? Lutz, Wolfgang. The Future of World Population. Population Reference Bureau, June, 1994 Spengler, J.J., as quoted in Population: A Clash of Prophets, ed. Edward Pohlman. Mentor Books, New York, 1973 "That Population Explosion", TIME magazine, January 11, 1960 World-wide web site: Web 1: http://www.carnell.com.overpopulation.html

“I’m nobody! Who are you?” by Emily Dickinson Essay

Never judge a book by its cover. Appearances can greatly deviate from what is hidden on the inside. â€Å"Richard Cory† by Edwin Arlington Robinson, â€Å"We wear the mask† by Paul Laurence Dunbar, and â€Å"I’m nobody! Who are you?† by Emily Dickinson each give examples of appearances in contrast to reality. Robinson’s â€Å"Richard Cory† is essentially about a man who is set upon a golden pedestal by others and due to his suppressed sadness, kills himself. â€Å"We wear the mask† by Dunbar shows us society’s use of a â€Å"mask† to hide their sorrow and grief, grinning and smiling when they truly feel overwhelmed with sadness. Dickinson’s â€Å"I’m nobody!† tells of the role of â€Å"somebody† in society as opposed to a â€Å"nobody†, deeming the truth as the latter of the two. In Robinson’s â€Å"Richard Cory,† Dunbar’s â€Å"We wear the mask,† and Dickinson’s â€Å"I’m nobody!† appearance versus reality is exhibited through the usage of poetic language evoking various feelings in the reader. With each authors use of poetic language feelings are stirred and the discrepancies between appearances and reality are clearly expressed. Robinson’s â€Å"Richard Cory† lets us closely examine appearances in contrast with reality. All who knew of Richard Cory held him in reverence; they glorified him and were quite jealous of his lifestyle. â€Å"And he was always quietly arrayed, and he was always human when he talked; but still he fluttered pulses when he said, ‘Good morning,’ and he glittered when he walked†¦. In fine we thought that he was everything to make us wish that we were in his place† gives a perfect example of how highly Richard Cory was thought of by â€Å"the people on the pavement† and how they wished to be of his status. Those who watched Richard Cory every time he went into town might have desired all Cory had and was, but they were deceived by his rejection of the eminence that his fellows would accord him. â€Å"And Richard Cory, one calm summer night, went home and put a bullet through his head,† although it may seem somewhat an ironic and abrupt ending, it suits the theme well, quickly identifying the concept of appearance versus identity. Robinson also shows us appearances versus reality through his use of poetic language. Robinson’s use of imagery, and irony enhances the poem greatly. Robinson uses imagery throughout the course of his poem. â€Å"And he was always quietly arrayed†¦and he glittered when he walked,† Robinson uses visually  stimulating words and phrases to show the magnitude of a man that was Richard Cory. Robinson also makes use of irony in â€Å"Richard Cory,† enabling us to understand the truth of Cory’s existence, that of a sad man, no better than any of those â€Å"on the pavement.† â€Å"And Richard Cory, one calm summer night, went home and put a bullet through his head,† after all that reverence, Richard Cory was in all respects unhappy. This use of poetic language in â€Å"Richard Cory† provokes feelings of grandness and jealousy. When Richard Cory’s fellows looked at him, they saw him as of royalty, of pertaining to that which heavenly or divine; howbeit, they were looking through eyes full of envy. Richard was held in high regards. â€Å"And he was rich – yes, richer than a king – and admirably schooled in every grace,† his ranking alongside Kings gives a sense of how grand a man the townspeople made Cory out to be. People on the street admired Cory from afar; they wished to be him, to walk in his shoes, they coveted his very essence. â€Å"In fine, we thought that he was everything to make us wish that we were in his place. So on we worked, and waited for the light, and went without meat, and cursed the bread†¦Ã¢â‚¬  the extent of their jealousy runs far. However, â€Å"We wear the mask† by Dunbar, in it’s own way, also deals with the same principles of appearance versus reality as did â€Å"Richard Cory.† â€Å"We wear the mask† allows us to delve into the psyche of humanity and explore its apparent need to hide behind a mask. In â€Å"We wear the mask,† the title alone gives us the theme for the entire poem. â€Å"We wear the mask that grins and lies, it hides our cheeks and shades out eyes–This debt we pay to human guile; with thorn and bleeding hearts we smile, and mouth with myriad subtleties,† shows that the mask that is worn hides the true self, instead, a false face is given, one which smiles and does not let the underlying, suppressed sorrows show. Humanity, as seen through the eyes of Dunbar in â€Å"We wear the mask,† is deceiving itself with these masks we wear, this fraudulent life which is lead by all. â€Å"This debt we pay to human guile; with thorn and bleeding hearts we smile, and mouth with myriad subtleties,† though we may be torn apart inside, to the world we are content with life; once again, appearance deviate greatly fro m reality. Moreover, through the use of poetic language, Dunbar also expresses appearance in contrast with  reality. Through the use of an extended metaphor and sensory, Dunbar further allows the exploration of appearances versus reality. â€Å"We wear the mask† tells of a mask which hides the face, which hides the emotions one is feeling, the term â€Å"mask† is used throughout the poem as a metaphor; Dunbar does not write of a mask which is adorned and used for masquerades, rather, he writes of the inherent suppression of emotions for fear of being ostracized from a society which is quick to do so. â€Å"Nay, let them only see us while we wear the mask,† the mask is a necessity in life, it is worn by all. Sensory language in â€Å"We wear the mask† enables the reader to feel the pains and sufferings of the human race. Dunbar’s use of extended metaphor and sensory in â€Å"We wear the mask† elicits pride and empathy in the reader. â€Å"We smile, but O great Christ, our cries to thee from tortured souls arise. We sing, but oh, the clay is vile beneath our feet, and long the mile†¦Ã¢â‚¬  lines such a these enable the reader to empathize with the narrator. The way poetic language was used in â€Å"We wear the mask† evokes feelings of empathy in the reader, as well as pride. Throughout the course of Dunbar’s poem, one cannot help but feel a sense of empathy and pride. Reading this poem, a sense empathy for humanity arises, for the pain we all face day in and day out. â€Å"We smile, but O great Christ, our cries to thee from tortured souls arise,† evokes the feeling of empathy towards the plights of humanity. A sense of pride is also given in the poem with the narrator’s refusal to let others see him without the mask. â€Å"But let the world dream otherwise, we wear the mask!† the narrator voices this statement with pride. In addition, â€Å"I’m nobody!† by Dickinson also faces the idea of discrepancies between appearance and reality. Dickinson’s â€Å"I’m nobody!† explores appearance in contrast with reality. The true face of the reader is being questioned, their identity so to speak. â€Å"I’m nobody! Who are you?† Dickinson suggests, through the persona of a child that the true somebody is, in reality, the nobody. In order to remain in society, one must adopt the views and beliefs of society regardless of your own. â€Å"Are you nobody too? Then there’s a pair of us–don’t tell! They’d  banish us you know,† this shows how people must appear to be the same as the majority, even though in reality, they may be quite different. Dickinson also shows us appearances versus reality through her use of poetic language. Dickinson’s use of similes and satire further enhance the theme of the poem. She compares and contrasts the role of â€Å"somebody† to a frog. â€Å"How dreary to be somebody! How public like a frog†¦ to an admiring bog!† Dickinson’s depiction of â€Å"somebody† is of a self-important and constantly self-promoting person and further shows the false values of a society that approves of people like the frog. Dickinson uses satire to illustrate the follies of mankind in accepting these frog-somebody’s. â€Å"How dreary to be somebody! How public like a frog to tell your name to the livelong June to an admiring bog!† Dickinson’s use of poetic language sound, at times, playful and comical. Dickinson’s use of tone in â€Å"I’m nobody!† is playful and at comical. The child persona she adopts gives the sense of a playful nature in the poem. â€Å"I’m nobody! Who are you? Are you nobody too?† gives the main evidence of its playful tone. At times, Dickinson pokes fun at society, comically pointing out its errors. â€Å"How dreary to be somebody†¦To an admiring bog!† gives a comical, yet true, depiction of society. This poem, like all the rest, expresses appearance in contrast with reality. In Robinson’s â€Å"Richard Cory,† Dunbar’s â€Å"We wear the mask,† and Dickinson’s â€Å"I’m nobody!† appearance versus reality is exhibited through the usage of poetic language evoking various feelings in the reader. Hiding the true self from society is a necessary part of life, everyday it must be worn in order be accepted, and these three poems are exemplary. Appearances are just that, appearances, and nothing more; the true individual is far different from that which we see. Are we all not quick to judge a book by its cover?

The Korean War And The War - 940 Words

The United States has fought in many wars throughout the years. The Korean War took place from 1950-1953. It has also been called the forgotten war, as people do not recognize it like the Second World War, the Vietnam War or the Gulf War. This battle consisted of North Korea, South Korea and the United States. It was fought on sea, land and air. The Korean War was a clash between the Communist forces and the free world. Additionally, â€Å"the Korean War Veterans Memorial is located near the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. (Nurses in the Korean War). This memorial commemorates the sacrifices of the Americans who served in the armed services during this time. It was dedicated on July 27, 1995. This monument is unique†¦show more content†¦My grandfather lived outside in a foxhole for two years. He stated that the winters were extremely cold. Many soldiers were killed or severely injured. There was a lack of food and cold weather gear. Consequently, the draft was enacted when the Korean War began. The response fell short. It was during this time that women were asked to serve their country in time of need. The Army Nurse Corps responded to the call. The Army Nurse Corps is an organization that provides health care for military personnel, their families and also retirees. One of these brave nurses was named Anna Mae Hays. She served in a hospital unit during World War II. Once the war broke out in Korea, she organized the 4th Field Hospital in 1950 and participated in the Inchon Landing. â€Å"This hospital unit cared for more than 25,000 patients during the next ten months, one night receiving 700 wounded men. On June 11, 1970 she became the first woman in military history to attain general officer rank. On March 12, 2013 she was inducted into the U.S. Army Women’s Foundation Hall of Fame† (Nurses in the Korean War). Anna May Hays along with all the other nurses who enlisted put the well being of the wounded abo ve their own safety, whether on the battlefield, in a hospital, or on a ship saving thousands of lives. Service woman faced long days and heavy workloads. To accommodate the large number of casualties, hospitals had to extend their capabilities. â€Å"Without rest and nourishment nurses stayed on duty